CIVIC leaders in Lusaka must squarely face the blame for
the perennial problem of floods in the city every rain season.

We are
wondering where elected councilors and the area Members of Parliament are
exerting their energies if it is not for the betterment of the city in which
they preside.

It is shameful that the councilors and the Members of
Parliament who are vested with the duty to ensure Lusaka lives up to the
standard of a capital city are not heard nor seen to be doing anything to
address this problem.

Where are the area councilors in Mandevu and Chaisa
or indeed the area members of parliament in the affected townships? Their
silence is too loud.

Theories have been propounded on why Lusaka always
floods every rain season and one would expect that solutions are also being put
across so that the pools of water people are wading through are a thing of the
past.

Area councilors and MPs would have us believe that the Government
has not released funding for the councils.

We find this excuse quite
flimsy because as local Government and housing minister Eustarkio Kazonga has
explained, the Government has released funding including constituency
development fund part of which is supposed to be used for unblocking clogged
drainages.

Government released all grants and other entitlements to all
the 72 councils last December for the local authorities to undertake projects
such as addressing drainage problems.

The sale of council houses, another
excuse that has been feebly given is not even admissible because councils have
other sources of revenue such as rates and other levies.

If indeed Lusaka
sits on impervious rock which causes the flooding, nature can be subdued through
deliberate planning on construction of drainages or dams to harvest the rain
water.

This however, can only happen where there is concern for the
electorate and not political bickering and jostling for jobs which has become a
norm in most of our opposition controlled councils.

The ire of Lusaka
residents is understandable and we can only appeal to the councilors to quickly
address this issue.